La Chouffe | Brasserie d'Achouffe

0 characters.
We love reviews! Turn your rating into one with ≥ 150 characters. Awesome. Thanks for the review!

In English, explain why you're giving this rating. Your review must discuss the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) and your overall impression in order to indicate that you have legitimately tried the beer. Nonconstructive reviews may be removed without notice and action may be taken on your account.

Reviews by kell50:

More User Reviews:

Pours a slightly cloudy golden color, with about two and a half fingers of white-colored head. The stronger retention near the center of the glass suggests a well-hopped brew, but a part of that could be do to the current of effervescence rising to the top. Small splotches of lacing sticks to the glass.

I really pick up the coriander on the nose, but it's subtle. Compared to something like Duvel, there seems to be a greater focus on stone fruits (like peach and apricot) over citrus. There are additional touches of candied sugar, white bread, black pepper, and white grape. This certainly isn't some two-bit Duvel clone, it's a nuanced and slightly different from the pack that's just as finely integrated as the best.

The opening flavors are very fruity, bringing tons of peach, apricot, white grape, and even a little cherry. This is practically a fruit salad in terms of flavor. Meanwhile, the second half displays the noble hops, coriander, and estery spiciness very well. A pleasant wave of candied sugar also shows up on the back end, but it doesn't encumber the taste buds excessively. This is an incredibly bold-tasting and deceptively complex brew, though it is a hair on the sweet side for me. Nonetheless, it remains nicely balanced and cohesive.

It initially feels full and sweet, until the vibrant carbonation fills out and moderately dries the finish like a champ. Still, it remains merely semi-dry due to the residual sugar. Drinkability is very good, not quite great - I really enjoy sipping on this, though, and I could easily crave another bottle.

This is excellent. It's slightly bigger and more complex than Duvel, while still retaining an easygoing nature. It's like one of those ninja gnomes from Ratchet and Clank - sneaky as fuck. I'll definitely get this again.

Smell  Nice malt backbone to this spicy BSPA. This is heavily spiced. I can pick out some big Italian spices, like oregno and basil, but the major players are the powdery versions of pepper and coriander. Theres some light fruit in there as well, mostly melon and maybe some lime, that compliment the mix.

Taste  Ditto on the tongue. The deep, sharp spices guide the taste. The malt takes a back seat. This is mostly the spice show from the nose.

33 cl bottle from Copper Vine ($4.39 Fathers' Day present) best by 12 2016. Poured into a Duvel tulip.

A- A liberal pour creates 1-1/2 fingers of pillowy, off-white head atop the clean, golden body that shows just the slightest haze. There's plenty of carbonation rushing from the nucleation site to the surface. The head settles to a fully covering foam that leaves nice rings on the glass. My wife liked the logo as it reminded her of a recent family trip to Disney World.

S- Bold and complex. Right off the bat I get a combination of Belgian funk in the form of bubblegum mixing with lemon and husky grains. Somewhat reminiscent of a Hefeweizen. Hints of black pepper later on.

T- Oh that's nice. More of the lemon and funk mentioned in the aroma. The malts are sweet and grainy, like a sweetened cereal or cream of wheat. Maybe even hints of creamed corn? The alcohol is well hidden and comes off as sweet more than anything else. The finish is relatively clean, especially given some of the sweeter qualities, with spicy hops finishing it all off.

M- Creamy and full bodied. A light, alcohol warmth is quite smooth on the way down. Hops in the finish provide a nice bite.

O- A really tasty Belgian ale. The sweetness and citrus is a bit of a departure from the flavor profile I'd expect from the style, but really good. I could definitely enjoy a second bottle in a sitting. Not the cheapest beer, but something I'd buy again.

A: Pours a golden yellow color with a large head that slowly fades down to a nice cap that leaves good lacing

S: Some moderate spice notes along with a good yeast and malt influence. Light fruitiness in there from the yeast as well

T: Follows the nose, but with a little more kick. Starts off with the spicy and fruity yeast and goes into some moderate alcoholic esters and some additional coriander. Malt kicks in a little to tame the yeast a bit. Finishes with lingering spices and moderate malt sweetness

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation

O: A well-deserved classic. Nice to sip on and enjoy any time. Definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of Belgians

Came highly recommended by the shopkeeper at the new Craft Beer Cellar that opened up in town. Came home and saw the great reviews her on BA and got quite excited. I have to say, I think it lives up to the hype.

Look: Poured into a tulip glass. Three finger of foamy head, and a beautiful, rich amber color.

Smell: Gentle notes of lemon zest and wheat, a quite delicate smell.

Taste: Sweet bready maltiness, lemon, with a hops spice and little bit of pleasant bitterness in the finish. The flavor is complex, moreso than I'm capable of describing. There's a subtle evolution in the taste as rolls over and sits on the tongue. It's delicious.

Mouthfeel: Thick, smooth, pillowy, soft. Very pleasant.

Overall: This is a quite acclaimed beer, and it's not hard to see why. It tastes fantastic. Not much more to say, really. Try it if you get the chance.

Pours a rich golden color with a nice rocky head that becomes a little creamy with some nice lacing,aroma is lighter than expected some spiciness with a hint of some grassiness.Taste is citruisy with a more subdued spicieness again with a grassy hop that comes thru in the finish.It almost has a creamy mouthfeel its a refreshing beer for the alcohol content a nice beer but there are better out there of the style I think.

Pours a cloudy golden/orange with a lively and large white head. The nose is pleasantly fruity sweet and highlighted by hints of bubble-gum, orange peel and spice. The taste offers a fine balance between fruity sweetness and light hop bitterness on the finish. The spice comes through nicely down the middle. A very lively and full mouthfeel but yet failry light bodied. The aftertaste lingers nicely and maintains it's orange peel bitterness. A pleasant and easy drinking Belgian. Top notch.

On tap at Maduro in Madison, Wi. Poured hazy golden with a brilliant fluffy and lasting white head into a la Chouffe glass. Carbonation is like a seiche, swelling and tumultuous. Aromas are big and lovely. Spicey saaz hops, lemon peeper, and pilsner malts. Very nice. Flavor is fruity and crisp with a great big lemon zinger bite at the end. Great bite! Finish is spicy and dry with a nice lingering hoppiness. Very refreshing.

Update...after 20 odd more glasses (yes I am a lush but this stuff was on tap for only 3 bucks!) I have increased drinkability to 5 and the taste to 4.5 (from 4). I love this beer!

Full flavor profile of biscuity malt, with apple, pear, and perhaps some grape sneaking in on the finish. Low hop bitterness, maybe some light noble hop bitterness on the end to keep the maltiness from lingering too long. Fresh-cut grass again on the finish.

The sweet attack feels heavy on the tongue, but the active carbonation helps keep the beer from feeling oppressive. Feeling lasts a few seconds after swallowing, then it evaporates up through the nose, providing a second chance at catching the farmhouse aromas.

Overall, this is such an awesome beer. Full of aroma, full of flavor, with an interesting feel, this is truly a winner and one of my favorite beers ever. Costco sells 750 mL magnums, so I can grab this whenever I need a good beer fix.

A - Exceptionally clear, one finger head, light golden color, with a bit of carbonation. Head faded to covering leaving a good bit of lacing while I enjoyed.

S - I don't give out a lot of 5's but this beer smelled exceptional. Sweet and spicy with some succulent fruit flavors. This was unique and quite excellent.

T - The great smell carries over to the flavor. A nice spicy flavor right off the bat which balances out nicely the sweet flavors. Very little hop flavor with a little bitterness, but a nice tartness from the yeast. There is a little alcohol warmth and flavor at the end which let you know you are drinking a strong ale. Again, unique and very tasty.

M - Nice dry finish, drier than I would have expected from a sweeter beer. I would have liked some more carbonation, in fact was surprised at how little carbonation it had. This could have been because I refrigerated the beer for about a year before I drank it (at a relatives house out of town...meant to drink it then).

D - There are high alcohol beers that you sip and drink slowly and then there are ones that someone still come across as refreshing. This one is refreshing even at 8% ABV, the spicy, dry finish makes this a refreshing and great beer to enjoy.